Railway signal torpedo



F. DUTCHER RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDO Filed April 1 4, 1924 Patented Aug. 12, 1924.

UNITED STATES FRANK BUTCHER, F MCKEESPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY SIGNAL 'IOlEtYPEDO.

Application filed. April 14, 1924. Seria1 No. 706,359.

To all "whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK DU'roHnR,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Versailles Boro-., McKeesport, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Signal Torpedoes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in railway signal torpedoes, and it relates to improvements in clips for attaching the rail-engaging strap to the torpedo case.

The primary objecto f the present invention is to provide an improvement in clips, the construction being such that the clip is clamped by a projecting flange of the case, or strengthening ring. I

A further ob'eet of the invention pertains to making the clip in the form of a disk, the disk being clamped by a projecting part of the torpedo case or ring.

Another object of the invention pertains to making the clip in the form of a disk which is clamped by the action of a strength ening ring, the said disk and spring strap being so shaped that the strap is locked in'position by the disk so that itcannota0 move endwise.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective View ofthe under side of the torpedo showing the improved clip and spring strap attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section of the torpedo with the clip and strap in position thereon.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged inverted plan View showing a lead strap attached by means of the clip.

Figs. 4: and 5 are modifications of the in vention.

The present invention is here shown applied to a circular torpedo. I do not, however, limit the invention to that shape, for the shape of the torpedo may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Referring now to the drawings in which the case, as shown, consists of two parts 1 and 2, which telescope each other. The formation, however, of the case may be varied without affecting the present improvement. Tightly embracing the outer member 1 of the case is a strengthening ring 3. This ring 3 and the case are constructed of paper or fiber making a nonflying torpedo. I

The present invention embraces making the strengthening ring 3 wider than the case, whereby it projects as shown at 4. This makes the under side of the torpedo recessed, and in this recess is placed the clip This clip in the form here shown comprises a disk, which has its central portion 6 bulged outward, thus. forming a space between the bulged portion and the part 2 of the case. At the same time the bulged out portion forms an annular shoulder 7, and also forms an annular fiat part 8, that engages directly'the part 2 of the case. The part 8 tightly fits against the case as shown.

The said disk portion 5 is made of a size that it fits within the recesses andis tightly grasped at its periphery by theextending part 4 of the ring 3. R

In assembling the torpedo,-'the clip is placed in the ring before the case is applied. Then the forcing of the case in the ring causes the clip to be tightly grasped by the extending part of the ring, which holds the clip tightly and firmly in position.

This clin. as here shown, is constructed with a central opening 9, and oppositely located openings 10, through which open-- ings the lead strap 11, when in use, passes as shown in Fig. 3.

This clip is'especially adapted for uniting a two-part spring strap, and-this is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In these figures the two parts of the strap 12 have their upper ends pass through the said opening with their extremities 13 doubled around the parts 1 1 of the clip, as shown. Attention is directed to the fact that both parts of the spring strap are bent upward, as at 15, which bend 15 forms a lock in connection wit-h the shoulder 7, whereby the twoparts of the strap are locked in position when the clip is applied to the torpedo case.

Preferably, the two parts of the spring strap are bent in the shape here shown be fore it is applied, and the two parts of the strap are applied to the clip, before the clip is applied to the torpedo. The two parts of the strap after being bent are applied to the clip by passing the doubled ends through the opening lO to the opening- 9', when an endwisepull snaps the strap in" position on 'the clip. Thebent parts 151and shoulder "7 ioause a snapping action of the strap,

whereby the said strap islocked in the clip,

I desire it to be understood'that modifications may becmade'in the construction here shownwithout departing from the said invention, one form of modification being shown in Fig. 4. In-this figure the modifica- 7 tion consists extending "the outer wall of -the ,:par t 1', and the-clip placed under the I bottom/either part 2 of the case, with its periphery in engagement'with the extended wall 1, of the part 1 of the case. When this [construction is used, the clip-will be, placed on the torpedo casebeforethe application of the strengthening rib 8. It will be under- IStOOd" that the projecting flange 1. of the case is readily extendedsufficiently to hold the clip in position thereon until the strengthening and clasping ring 3 is applied toIthe case, and when it is applied it forces the periphery of the disk into the flange, holding it tightly and firmly in position.

. "Whenusing the expression that the tor- :Cpedol has an e-xtending flange in the claims,

1t WiIl :be understood asbroad enough to cover either the'strengthening and clasping ring '3, orzthe extended part 1 of the case,

, unless the claim specifically defines the modi- Also the-disk maybe made in the modified form shown in Fig, 5, whereby, in which case, the bulged portion 7 insteadof bemg 1n annular form, will be in a hump or short form, as shown at 7 in Fig. 5; It will be understood that in the operation of looking the strap, itwill have the same operation asthe annular shoulder.

In; showing the modifications I have not attempted to include what may occur to I I clainrand desire V I others skilled in the art, and, therefore, the

claims are broadlydrawn 'tocover the said invention and'modifications thereof.

jI-Iaying thus described my invention, what to secure by Letters strap being bent for causing the strap to be held in position on the clip.

2. An improved railway signal torpedo,

comprising a case having a flange depending from its bottom, a clip held by the said flange, the clip having strap openings, a twopart spring strap passing through the said openings, and the strap and clip having interlocking bent portions, whereby the strap is held in position on the clip.

.3. A railway signal torpedo, comprising a case having a flange at its bottom, a clip extending across the case and held by the said flange, the clip having strap openings, and a two-part'spring strap passed through the said openings, the strap and the clip having oppositely bent interlocking parts for holding the strap in position.

4. A railway signal torpedo, comprising a case having an annular downwardly extending flange, of a disk-shaped clip fitting within the flange, the periphery of said disk biting into the inner wall of said flange thereby holding the clip in position, the clip having-a strap opening, and a strap passing through the said 0 ening.

5. An improved rai. way signal torpedo, comprising a case having a flange, a diskshaped clip held to the torpedo by the said flange, the said disk having an outwardly bulged portion forming a shoulder and strap openings, of a strap passing through said openings, the strap being bent to interlock with the bulged portion.

6. An improved railway signal torpedo, comprising a case having a depending flange, a disk clip held by the said flange, the disk having its periphery flat and its center portion bulged outward, the bulged portion having strap openings, and a strap passing through the said openings, the said strap bent to interlock with the shoulder formed by the bulged portion of the clip.

-7. An improved railway signal torpedo, comprising a case having a strengthening ring surrounding its periphery, the said ring depending below the bottom of the case forming a clip holding member, a clip held by the depending portion of the ring, the clip having strap openings, and a strap passing through the said openings.

In testimony whereof I hereunto allix my signature.

FRANK DUTCH ER. 

